More women are having fewer children, if at all
WASHINGTON, 8:09 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
More women in their early 40s are childless, and those who are having children are having fewer than ever before, the Census Bureau said Monday.
In the last 30 years, the number of women age 40 to 44 with no children has doubled, from 10 percent to 20 percent. And those who are mothers have an average of 1.9 children each, more than one child fewer than women of the same age in 1976.
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WASHINGTON, 2:27 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)Angioplasty through the wrist backed by new study: The best path to a clogged heart may be through the wrist. About a million artery-clearing angioplasties are performed in the United States each year, and the usual route is to thread a tube to the heart through an artery in the groin.
WASHINGTON, 1:56 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
FDA reports deaths with diabetes drug Byetta: Federal regulators are working on a stronger label for a widely used diabetes drug marketed by Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Eli Lilly & Co. after deaths were reported with the medication despite earlier government warnings.
Aug. 16 (UNION-TRIBUNE)4 hospitals penalized for serious mistakes: Four area hospitals received the maximum fine yesterday for preventable mistakes that killed one patient, injured others or created the potential for serious harm, state officials said. WASHINGTON, 1:03 p.m. Aug. 18 (AP)
Vitamin D's wild days: Who to test, what to take?: Don't be surprised if your doctor orders a vitamin D test during your next physical. Blood tests to check levels of the so-called sunshine vitamin are on the rise as doctors and patients react to headline-grabbing research that suggests having too little may not only hurt your bones – it might increase your risk of certain cancers or heart disease. Blood protects against long-gone killer 1918 flu: Nearly a century after history's most lethal flu faded away, survivors' bloodstreams still carry super-potent protection against the 1918 virus, demonstrating the remarkable durability of the human immune system. LA MESA, Aug. 16 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
New policy approved for Sharp Grossmont: Officials for the public district that oversees Sharp Grossmont adopted a policy yesterday requiring that they be quickly notified when the La Mesa hospital reports a patient-care problem to state regulators. 1st U.S. drug for Huntington's disease wins approval: Federal regulators on Friday cleared the first treatment approved in the United States for Huntington's, a rare inherited disease that causes uncontrolled movements, deterioration of mental abilities and, ultimately, death.
WASHINGTON, 11:00 a.m. Aug. 15 (AP)
FDA says chemical found in plastic bottles is safe: Despite ongoing safety concerns from parents, consumer groups and politicians, a chemical used in baby bottles, canned food and other items is not dangerous, federal regulators said Friday.
WASHINGTON, 8:49 a.m. Aug. 14 (AP)
FTC deal brings Airborne settlement to $30M: The makers of Airborne tablets have agreed to pay $30 million to settle a lawsuit and federal regulators' charges that they made false claims about the cold-fighting benefits of the fruit-flavored remedies.
Aug. 15 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
A dose of experience:Lili Ean looked the part in her scrubs and tennis shoes, her security badge swinging on her chest. Of course, when she felt faint as a respiratory patient oozed blood, that gave it away. If you think the interns are looking younger at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Hillcrest and Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla, you're right.
2:02 p.m. Aug. 13 (AP)
6:01 a.m. Aug. 14 (REUTERS)British scientists test first arthritis vaccine: LONDON (Reuters) – British scientists plan to start tests on a novel vaccine against rheumatoid arthritis, which could suppress the effects of the joint condition using patients' own blood cells. Drugs as good as stents for many heart patients: People with chronic chest pain who are not in big danger of a heart attack now may have even less reason to rush into an artery-opening angioplasty: There's more evidence drugs should be tried first and often are just as effective.
FARGO, N.D., 11:35 a.m. Aug. 13 (AP)
Disruptive behavior by autistic kids stirs furor: When a 13-year-old Minnesota boy was banned from church after parishioners complained about his behavior, it exposed a painful truth so politically incorrect that some people feel guilty just saying it out loud: Some autistic children can be annoying and disruptive in public.
WASHINGTON, 8:50 a.m. Aug. 13 (REUTERS)
U.S. study finds 140,000 bad reactions to antibiotics: Bad reactions to antibiotics, mostly allergic ones, send people to U.S. emergency rooms more than 140,000 times each year, government researchers reported Wednesday.
Aug. 12 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
What's Up, Docs?: Dave Duval might have died had he waited for either his HMO or a famous medical center to accurately diagnose his symptoms. Fran Vigil would have had to endure significantly more discomfort and pain if she'd agreed to her first oncologist's treatment recommendations.
Aug. 12 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
WASHINGTON, 1:34 p.m. Aug. 12 (AP)FDA warns of skin reactions with alcoholism drug: Federal regulators warned doctors Tuesday about severe skin reactions seen in patients taking an injectable treatment for alcoholism made by Alkermes Inc. and marketed by Cephalon Inc.
Aug. 12 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
San Diegan takes the fast (kayak) lane to Olympics:San Diego Alive continues its coverage of local Olympians with video of sprint kayaker Carrie Johnson, 24, who began kayaking in San Diego with the Junior Lifeguard Program in 1997, coached by former Olympian Chris Barlow.
Aug. 12 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
When to call the other doctor:For many patients, seeking advice from more than one doctor is just smart medicine. Consider getting a second medical opinion for the following situations.
Aug. 12 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Wellnews: All the news that's fit:
WASHINGTON, 9:01 p.m. Aug. 11 (AP)
States fail to report health provider sanctions: In violation of federal law, states routinely fail to notify federal authorities when they've kicked health care providers out of their Medicaid programs for incompetence, fraud and other reasons, government investigators have found.
CHICAGO, 1:00 p.m. Aug. 11 (AP)
Half of overweight adults may be heart-healthy: You can look great in a swimsuit and still be a heart attack waiting to happen. And you can also be overweight and otherwise healthy.
Aug. 9 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Under the microscope: Sharp HealthCare executives have spent the past two weeks trying to reassure the public that their hospitals are safe amid news that recent lapses in management and medical care at Sharp Grossmont caused the deaths of at least three patients.
MEXICO CITY, 10:55 a.m. Aug. 9 (AP)Global AIDS prevention gives short shrift to gays: Jorge Saavedra's moment of truth came in the middle of an impassioned speech to 5,000 people about the paltry amount of money being spent to stop the spread of AIDS among gay men. LOS ANGELES, 10:00 p.m. Aug. 8 (REUTERS)
Reuters Health News Summary: Los Angeles residents are notorious for worrying about their waistlines and if two Los Angeles County Supervisors have it their way, calorie counting while dining out in the city may get easier.
ATLANTA, 12:03 p.m. Aug. 8 (AP)
Gift cards key to new AIDS prevention strategy: Could the AIDS virus be stopped with gift cards? Desperate for a way to stop the escalating spread of HIV among young gay men, public health officials are looking to novel strategies, such as enlisting local gay opinion leaders to urge their peers to practice safe sex.
WASHINGTON, 8:21 a.m. Aug. 8 (REUTERS)
U.S. warns of muscle harm when heart drugs combined: U.S. health officials warned the public Friday about the risk of a rare type of muscle injury seen when the cholesterol drug simvastatin is combined with the anti-arrhythmia medicine amiodarone.
WASHINGTON, 3:41 p.m. Aug. 7 (AP)
Official says new rules are not anti-birth control: Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt attempted to ease concerns Thursday that the Bush administration is planning to issue new rules that would limit women's access to birth control.
LONDON, 11:36 a.m. Aug. 7 (AP)
For unexplained infertility, 2 methods don't help: A new study calls into question the use of two common infertility treatments for couples who have unexplained problems having children.
ATLANTA, 2:43 p.m. Aug. 6 (AP)Average ER waiting time nears 1 hour, CDC says: The average time that hospital emergency rooms patients wait to see a doctor has grown from about 38 minutes to almost an hour over the past decade, according to new federal statistics released Wednesday. NEW YORK, 7:07 a.m. Aug. 5 (AP)
MDs urged to end prostate screening in elderly men: Doctors should stop routine prostate cancer screening of men over age 75 because there is more evidence of harm than benefit, a federal task force advised on a hotly debated topic.
WASHINGTON, 2:19 p.m. Aug. 4 (AP)
Lens implant offers chance at beating lazy eye: Dr. Paul Dougherty delicately slipped a tiny lens inside the right eye of 7-year-old Megan Garvin – a last-ditch shot at saving her sight in that eye.
WASHINGTON, 4:01 p.m. Aug. 3 (AP)
Lax oversight risks millions of Medicare dollars: The government is putting millions of Medicare dollars at risk by authorizing fictitious sellers of wheelchairs, prosthetics and other medical supplies to submit reimbursement claims with only limited review, congressional investigators say.
CHICAGO, 8:33 a.m. Aug. 3 (AP)
Mixed results for growth hormone in HIV patients: A hormone better known for illicit use among athletes can help treat troublesome complications from the AIDS virus, but with potentially risky side effects, a small study found.
CORONADO, Aug. 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
City offers unusual deal to struggling Sharp facility: Coronado is proposing to spend $20 million to buy the land under Sharp Coronado Hospital in an unusual deal that city officials hope will ensure the continued operation of the struggling medical facility.
ATLANTA, 1:40 p.m. Aug. 2 (AP)
CDC understated number of new HIV infections in U.S.: The number of Americans infected by the AIDS virus each year is much higher than the government has been estimating, U.S. health officials reported, acknowledging that their numbers have understated the level of the epidemic.
MUNICH, Germany, 6:01 a.m. Aug. 2 (REUTERS)Reuters Health News Summary: German doctors have succeeded in transplanting two complete arms onto a 54-year old man in what their hospital said was the world's first operation of this kind. During 15 hours of surgery, a team of 40 medics attached the arms to a farmer who lost both his arms in an accident six years ago. WASHINGTON, 9:01 p.m. July 31 (AP)
Study: To sleep better, perchance to live longer: Shakespeare once called sleep the “balm of hurt minds.” Bodies, too, apparently. LAS VEGAS, 8:21 a.m. July 31 (AP)
Hearing delayed for doctor in hepatitis outbreak: The Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners is postponing a Sept. 8 disciplinary hearing for Dr. Dipak Desai, the physician who surrendered his license after clinics he headed were blamed in a southern Nevada hepatitis outbreak.
WASHINGTON, 6:43 a.m. July 31 (REUTERS)
U.S. FDA clears Affymetrix cancer gene test: U.S. regulators Thursday approved a genetic test made by Affymetrix Inc that may help identify deadly types of cancer cells.
6:00 a.m. July 31 (REUTERS)Potassium may help lower blood pressure: NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Research shows that boosting levels of potassium in the diet may lower a person's risk of developing high blood pressure and may decrease blood pressure in people who already have “hypertension.” July 30 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Hospital could lose all federal payments: Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa could lose all federal payments for patient care because of serious problems – some of which resulted in preventable deaths – according to a report released yesterday.
WASHINGTON, 12:34 p.m. July 30 (AP)
FDA finds salmonella strain at second Mexican farm: The salmonella strain linked to a nationwide outbreak has been found in irrigation water and a serrano pepper at a Mexican farm, federal health officials said Wednesday.
WASHINGTON, 12:46 p.m. July 30 (AP)House moves to ban lead from toys and kids' goods: Dismayed by reports of millions of tainted toys, the House neared a vote Wednesday to ban lead and other dangerous chemicals from toys and other products that could wind up in kids' mouths.
WASHINGTON, 10:05 a.m. July 30 (REUTERS)
Diabetes triples women's risk for birth defects: Women who have diabetes before becoming pregnant are about three times as likely as other women to have a baby with at least one birth defect, U.S. researchers said Wednesday.
Missing DNA chunks tied to schizophrenia risk: Two huge international studies show that people who lack certain chunks of DNA run a dramatically higher risk of getting schizophrenia, a finding that could help open new doors to understanding and diagnosing the disease.
CHICAGO, 11:14 a.m. July 30 (REUTERS)Baxter Alzheimer's drug effective at 9 months, study says: Alzheimer's disease patients treated with Baxter International Inc's Gammagard for nine months maintained cognitive function and in some cases improved it, according to an interim analysis of data from a small study. CHICAGO, 10:56 a.m. July 30 (AP)
ER docs: Don't text and walk, skate – or cook: The warning came too late for Barack Obama's adviser: Don't walk and text at the same time. Obama aide Valerie Jarrett fell off a Chicago curb several weeks ago while her thumbs were flying on her Blackberry.
July 29 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Deaths from drug misuse skyrocket: More Americans than ever are dying because they misuse prescription or over-the-counter medications by mixing them at home with alcohol, street drugs or both. The percentage of deaths attributed to this cause has risen nearly 3,200 percent over the past two decades.
CHICAGO, 11:30 a.m. July 29 (AP)
Experimental Alzheimer's drug shows early promise: For the first time, an experimental drug shows promise for halting the progression of Alzheimer's disease by breaking up the protein tangles that clog victims' brains.
July 29 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
When you are out, remember to rein in those calories: Opt for grilled instead of fried meat, fish and poultry. You'll save calories and fat. The sit-down restaurants and cafes in stadiums, theme parks and malls usually have healthier fare than the fast food places. Although lunch may cost a bit more at a dine-in place, it's often nutritionally worth it.
July 29 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Stick a fork in these dishes and your healthy diet's done: Steer clear of these nutritional disasters found around San Diego. Nachos with melted cheese. “Nachos are the king of nutrition no-nos. There's just way too much fat, calories and sodium,” says Linda Copp, registered dietitian and instructor of nutrition at San Diego State University.
July 29 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
When a child is ready to switch to solid foods: Parents want their children's introduction to solid food to be a positive and nutritious experience. But a thousand questions precede the leap from milk or formula to peaches and sweet potatoes. Are they getting the right nutrients? How do I deal with allergies? Can I avoid the sugars and preservatives in most store-bought foods? How do I season foods without using salt?
LONDON, 10:15 a.m. July 29 (REUTERS)
German court backs immediate generic Plavix: French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis and its U.S. partner Bristol-Myers Squibb Co suffered a setback on Tuesday when a German court backed immediate marketing approval for generic versions of their blockbuster blood-thinning drug Plavix.
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